On printing presses, conventional cylinders typically have a support shaft protruding from each end. These support shafts typically are integrally formed with the balance of the cylinder by turning down the ends of the cylinder. The protruding ends of the cylinder then are mounted to the supporting frame of the printing press using journal support bearings.
Such a conventional configuration creates a relatively long span for the printing cylinder. As is known, the longer the span of a printing cylinder, the more the cylinder is subject to bending forces. These bending forces cause the middle of the cylinder to deflect or sag to some extent. In printing presses, the normal structural sag of a cylinder may contribute to dynamic instability during operation of the printing press. Accordingly, improvements in cylinder design and/or support may lessen the amount of cylinder deflection.